2024-11-04T13:27:10-05:00 https://archinect.com/features/article/149961339/playtime-7-bold-and-whimsical-playgrounds-from-around-the-world Julia Ingalls 2016-08-12T12:44:00-04:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/77/778g3s1zkgpb7jbd.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>The act of play rests heavily on the ability to indulge in the imagination. While a certain degree of functionality is required for elements like swings, slides, and climbing walls, the key to any great playground design is that it be inspiring: and oddly enough, it doesn&rsquo;t always have to be strictly for children. Game-playing takes multiple forms, from the stream of consciousness rules of a child's adventure to the psychologically penetrating/illuminating construct of an artist. These examples of architectural spaces for play from around the world openly embrace the esoteric and playful.</p>